Montana Code Annotated
Part 3. Recounts Under Court Order
13-16-301. Application and court order for recount

13-16-301. Application and court order for recount. (1) (a) Within 5 days after the canvass of election returns, an unsuccessful candidate for any public office at an election may apply to the district court of the county where the election was held for an order directing the appropriate county or school recount board to make a recount of the votes cast in any or all of the precincts or the school district polling places. If the election was held in more than one county, the application must be made to the district court of the county where the candidate resides.
(b) Within 5 days after the canvass of election returns, an elector who was eligible to vote on the issue and who believes that there are grounds for a recount of the votes cast for and against a ballot issue may apply to the district court of the county where the elector resides for an order directing the appropriate county or school recount board to make a recount of the votes cast in any or all of the precincts or the school district polling places.
(2) The application must specify the grounds for a recount, and it must be verified by the applicant that the matters contained in it are true to the best of the applicant's knowledge, information, and belief.
(3) Within 5 days after filing of the application, the judge shall hear the application and determine its sufficiency.
(4) If the judge finds there is probable cause to believe that the votes cast for the applicant or the ballot issue were not correctly counted, the judge shall order the appropriate county or school recount board to assemble within 5 days after the order is issued at a time and place fixed by the order. The board shall meet and recount the ballots as specified in the order.
History: En. Sec. 190, Ch. 368, L. 1969; R.C.M. 1947, 23-4101; amd. Sec. 174, Ch. 571, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 68, Ch. 56, L. 2009; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 347, L. 2013.

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